New York in New York County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

130 West 57th Street

By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 4, 2009

1. 130 West 57th Street Marker

Inscription. Constructed as a cooperative for artists in 1907, 130 West 57th Street was designed by the firm of Pollard and Steinman. This landmark is a rare surviving example of studio building architecture and a reminder of the early 20th Century when West 57th was a center of artistic activity. The double height studios combined spacious living and working space in grand style. The projecting bay windows set in geometrically ornamented cast iron frames, bring in the north light so prized by artists. Prominent cultural figures who lived and worked here include writer and editor William Dean Howells, architect John Meade Howells, actor Jose Ferrer, and painters Childe Hassam and Irving Wiles. Both painters included architectural details of the building in their works.

New York Landmarks Preservation Committee
2000

Erected 2000 by New York Landmarks Preservation Committee.

Location. 40° 45.89′ N, 73° 58.718′ W. Marker is in New York, New York, in New York County. Marker is on West 57th Street near 7th Avenue, on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 130 West 57th Street, New York NY 10019, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance

Regarding 130 West 57th Street. From the 1999 Landmarks Preservation Commission designation: "...among its important qualities, the 130 West 57 Street Studio Building, constructed in 1907-08, is a rare surviving example of an artists’ studio building incorporating both living and working space in large, double-height rooms; that it was designed by the New York architectural firm of Pollard & Steinam which had pioneered this type of building on West 67 Street in Manhattan; that it was constructed on West 57 Street at a time when that area was rich with buildings and organizations which supported and promoted artistic endeavors; that, while studio buildings were developed as a response to an acknowledged need for accommodations for working artists, they were also popular among middle and upper-class non-artist residents because of the luxurious

By Andrew Ruppenstein, September 4, 2009

3. Closeup of Bay Windows Set in Ornamented Cast Iron Frames

On the south side of the street, with double-height windows, the front studios receive a northern light.

amount of living space they provided; that co-operative buildings were developed in the late nineteenth century and gained popularity in the early years of the twentieth century for their financial advantages and also for the exclusivity they allowed among their owners; that the cooperative financial organization, as well as design elements on this studio building followed the example set on the West 67 Street artists buildings, since several of the same people had been involved in the earlier buildings; that the double-height rooms with projecting windows provided spacious areas for visual artists to work, with large amounts of north light; that this building has been home to numerous well-known artists, including painter Childe Hassam, writer William Dean Howells, and architect John Mead Howells; that its geometrically-ornamented, projecting window bays and broad overhanging cornice give it a distinctive presence on the wide and busy thoroughfare of 57 Street."

Also see . . . 1. 130 West 57th Street Studio Building. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission desgination document, providing a history of the building, including contextual background on artists' studio buildings, cooperatives, the West 57th Street artistic setting, and a number of historic photographs. (Submitted on September 10, 2009.)

From the Landmarks Preservation Commission designation: In 1907, four lots on 57 Street were purchased by Robert Vonnoh, a painter who was living at 27 West 67 Street….. The four and five story masonry buildings on the site were torn down. A new building application was filed at the Department of Buildings in September, 1907, for a “high-class elevator apartment house.” Construction, by the William J. Taylor Co-Operative Building Company, was completed in October, 1908.

. Sandee Brawarsky's 2002 New York Times article on the artistic and cultural attractions of 57th Street. (Submitted on September 10, 2009.)

A view of 57th Street as painted by Childe Hassam, almost certainly as seen from his studio looking east towards what is now the Avenue of the Americas.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. This page originally submitted on September 9, 2009, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. This page has been viewed 776 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on September 9, 2009, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. 4, 5. submitted on September 10, 2009, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Sacramento, California. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.